The Gamdias Chione M3 240W is an all-around solid, liquid cooler that works best in an Intel-based system. Performance on our AMD test bench was not as good as I would have liked to have seen, but it did manage to stay below our 95°C threshold. On Intel though, it's an entirely different story, sure, it wasn't the top performer, but it put up respectable numbers, especially if you consider the price of $99.99. In fact, it is one of the better value options if looking at 240 mm offerings specifically.

In terms of noise output, the Chione M3 240W is not really any better or worse than other liquid coolers. I would say it is par the course except for one key metric: pump noise. While some excess noise is expected, as air bubbles are expelled from the pump on start-up, this is not the problem, the real issue is the tone of said pump noise as a whole. Put bluntly, it is rather harsh on the ears. This is mitigated to a certain degree thanks to the pump being a PWM design which allows it to ramp up or down. I found setting it to 75% or lower reduced the harsh note of the pump. It should also be noted that the fans at max RPM will mostly drown out the pump noise. But there are now many AIOs on the market where the pump operating at max speed is vastly quieter by comparison. Thus, this is the weak point in the design from a total noise output perspective. Obviously, a loud cooler isn't ideal, but the sound of rushing air from a fan is always going to be preferable to a high-pitched white noise coming from a water pump.

As for build quality, the unit is well built, but it lacks attention to detail, mostly due to its all-white design. It is immensely difficult getting various materials to share the same color profile, and that is very much apparent with the Gamdias cooler. The various shades of white are all different enough to be noticeable up close, and while I do think it is less of an issue in a completed system, especially if you have a tinted side panel, the fact remains it is an area where Gamdias can do better. The ARGB lighting further masks the issue, but that's only if you appreciate that feature. If you just want a white AIO, you may be disappointed.

Another area in need of improvement is the mounting hardware. On our Intel test bench, the Chione M3 240W installed quickly and easily, thanks to threaded spacers, but on AMD, trying to hold the backplate in place while positioning the pump block on the CPU and securing it with the screws means you're left feeling like you need a third hand. Thankfully, it is by far not the worst example I have encountered, but that still doesn't change the fact a mounting system using spacers, similar to the Intel hardware, would make the process much easier. Finally, the last issue would be the weak warranty. At just 2 years, it feels lackluster when so many brands are now offering 3+ year warranties on their liquid coolers.

In summary, the Gamdias Chione M3 240W is a solid budget-friendly liquid cooler that does the job. More importantly, it is one of a few affordable units that feature an all-white design, even if imperfect. Therefore, if you're running a mid-range system and don't want to break the bank on a white AIO, I have no issue recommending it.